Following a plea deal, the couple had all the charges dropped, and are still allowed to own animals. Many who worked the case said they got off with a slap on the wrist. And as far as the nation is concerned, Maine ranks high in states with the strictest animal cruelty laws.

This case, however, points to gaps in the system and experts involved in the Frasca case said it points out how Maine can do better.

A papillion named Tom was abused before Kathy Mullen adopted him.

“When he came to us, he had three broken teeth, one of them broken off underneath the gum,” Mullen said. “You look at this little guy and he’s never done anything in his life to hurt a soul. Why would anybody do that to him?”

In April, Bruce Simpson pleaded guilty to a felony and was sentenced to three years in prison with all but nine months suspended for kicking and slamming Tom into a wall.

Before that, Tom was one of hundreds of dogs rescued in 2007 from the Frascas’ Buxton-based J’aime Kennel.

Buxton police chief Michael Grovo was there the day the puppy mill was shut down.

Grovo said he felt like the system failed because this case took a back seat to an overloaded criminal justice system.

“We had a meeting with the D.A. and they explained what had happened, and it comes down -- you know -- they’re short on personnel, there were other big cases, major cases involving people that they were dealing with,” he said.

“Animal cruelty cases have to fight for priority in court houses with prosecutors and all of the other cases they have to deal with on a daily basis,” Bosse said.

Priority in courthouses is one of a number of areas the animal legal defense fund says Maine can improve, even though a report by that group indicates the state ranks second with the best animal cruelty laws in the nation.

The ranking is based on 14 elements, some of which are felony charges, mental health evaluations for abusers and mandatory reporting if a vet suspects an animal is being mistreated.

Some believe more work still needs to be done.

“Could laws be made stronger? Sure,” Grovo said. “And if people wanted to seek greater penalties in particular circumstances for specific instances of animal cruelty, then they need to call their state senator and see if they can get that law passed in Augusta.”

According to Maine’s animal welfare program, agents take 600 to 700 complaints each year. The program inspects more than 500 facilities, including shelters, pet stores and boarding kennels.

Multiple calls to Katherine Slattery, the York County District Attorney, about this story were not returned.